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My understanding is that cookies store no real information about users. Rather, a cookie fixes a particular computer with an ID, allowing the entity that set the cookie to associate activity -- including websites visited within a particular ad serving network -- with a specific computer on its back end (e.g., in a log on its server). In other words, a cookie is like a marker that says "This is user 123456 again."

If the NAI opt out cookie does not delete or "replace" an exisiting cookie, the entity that placed the cookie will still be in a position to associated web surfing activity with the particular computer. Thus, the "opted out" consumer would have two cookies on their computer -- one that fixes their ID so that his or her activities can be tracked and a second that says "Don't use the information you gather about this user to target ads." If this is right, I think this would surprise consumers and I welcome additional clarity on this issue.

As to your point about the benefits of the NAI and its members: I agree. The harms of associating activity with non-PII are far fewer and, accordingly, the NAI's is the more responsible way to approach online preference marketing.

Count me among those who would like to know more about the Network Advertising Initiative’s Opt Out in light of comments made at this conference. A consumer’s purported ability to opt out of tracking by third-party ad networks appears to go to the heart of the case for self-regulation.

Here is the NAI’s answer to the question “How does the NAI Opt-out Tool work?”:

The NAI Opt-out Tool replaces a network advertiser's unique online preference marketing cookie on your browser with a general opt-out cookie. It does not delete individual cookies nor does it necessarily replace other cookies delivered by network advertisers, such as those that are used for aggregate ad reporting or mere ad serving purposes. Such cookies allow network advertisers to change the sequence of ad banners, as well as track the aggregate number of ads delivered (impressions).

http://www.networkadvertising.org/managing/faqs.asp.

If the Tool “replaces a … online preference marketing cookie on your browser with a general opt-out cookies,” how can it not “delete individual cookies”? Again, I’d like some clarity on the issue if anyone can offer it.